Continuous form sleeve blanks and apparatus for applying same

ABSTRACT

A continuous form assembly of ultrasonically weldable sleeve blanks formed by an elongated flexible web has a longitudinal series of pairs of transversely spaced apart and generally longitudinally extending slits therethrough, each pair of slits partially defining an associated sleeve blank. Pin feed aperture formed in the longitudinally extending marginal portions of the web cooperate with a tractor feed mechanism of a sleeve forming apparatus to intermittently advance the web through the apparatus. An electrical conductor or groups of conductors manually fed into the apparatus engage the web and form an associated blank into a loop surrounding the conductor or group of conductors. Ultrasonic sealing and severing jaws simultaneously join opposite end portions of the sleeve blank together in assembly to form a tubular sleeve surrounding an associated portion of the individual conductor or a group of conductors and simultaneously sever the formed sleeve from the web. Identification information may be preprinted on the sleeve blanks which comprise the continuous form assembly where the sleeves are to be employed as identification markers for the conductors.

This is a divisional of application Ser. No. 08/600,763 filed on Feb.13, 1996, U.S. Pat. No. 5,863,383.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention is concerned with annular bands and tubular sleeves ofthe type used as identification markers on a wide variety of articles,as, for example, the individual electrical conductors which comprise anelectrical wiring harness, and apparatus for applying bands or sleevesto such articles. The invention is further concerned with annular bandsor sleeves used to secure in assembly groups of two or more articles,such as axially elongated electrical conductors used in the manufactureof electrical wiring harnesses.

For many years tubular sleeves cut from extruded plastic tubing or likematerial have been used as identification markers or bands for axiallyelongated articles such as electrical conductors. Such tubing maycomprise heat shrinkable material color coded or marked withalpha-numeric information to distinguish one banded article from otherbanded articles of generally like kind. However, such plastic tubing isnot generally well-suited to receive printed material, which presents aproblem where printed alpha-numeric information is required to assureproper identification. Further, when a sleeve or band cut from tubing isused to identify an associated axially elongated article having asubstantially uniform cross section throughout its length, such as acylindrical electrical conductor, the sleeve or band must generally bepositioned at or near a terminal end portion of the conductor and havean inside diameter approximately equal to or only slightly greater thanthe outside diameter of the conductor so that it will remain in positionnear the terminal end of the conductor to facilitate conductoridentification. Consequently, when a cut sleeve is used as a marker forsuch an electrical conductor the sleeve must be slipped onto the endportion of the conductor before the conductor can be terminated byapplication of an appropriate contact or other terminal element. Themarker sleeve or band is usually manually applied, a time consumingoperation which adds materially to the cost of the finished product .

The problem of printing alpha-numeric information on sleeves wherespecialized printing apparatus may not be available has been overcome,at least to some degree, by the provision of a continuous form assemblyof flat tubular sleeve markers which may be conveniently fed throughvarious types of commonly available printing equipment. A continuousform assembly of flat tubular sleeves of the aforedescribed type isillustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,361,230 to Downing et al.,entitled Assembly Of Tubular Sleeve Markers, issued Nov. 30, 1982 andassigned to W. H. Brady Company, Milwaukee, Wis. The continuous formtubular sleeve assembly shown in the patent to Downing et al. comprisesa multiplicity of preformed flat sleeve markers arranged in rows andcolumns and formed by two complementary webs joined together inface-to-face relation along spaced apart parallel seams and releasablysecured to a carrier or base web. The printed preformed flat tubularsleeves which comprise the aforesaid continuous form assembly areseparable from each other and individually detachable from the base webfor individual use.

Although the use of a continuous form flat sleeve assembly of theaforedescribed type substantially reduces the cost of printing therequired identification information on marker sleeves, problemsassociated with the manual application of the individual sleeves remain.After each flat sleeve has been detached from the carrier or base web itmust be manually opened or spread from its flattened to its tubularform. A fid or like hand tool is usually employed to perform this manualsleeve opening operation. Like the cut tubular sleeve hereinbeforedescribed, each opened flat tubular sleeve must be slipped axially ontothe end of an article to be identified. Where the article is anelectrical conductor, for example, this operation must be performedbefore the electrical conductor can be terminated. The aforesaid manualoperations required to apply a flat tubular sleeve marker to anassociated, article such as an electrical conductor, add substantiallyto the cost of producing the finished product.

Sleeve markers such as hereinbefore described have limited usage and arenot suitable for banding together in assembly groups of articles, as,for example, groups of individual electrical conductors which maycomprise a section of an electrical wiring harness. Manually applied tiestrips are most often employed for the aforedescribed purpose.

Accordingly, it is the general aim of the present invention to provide amore cost effective system for applying bands or sleeves to axiallyelongated portions of individual articles to be marked foridentification or for banding together in assembly groups of two or moresuch articles. It is a further aim of the present invention to providean improved continuous form assembly of tubular sleeve blanks, which maybe readily preprinted with selected information using conventionalautomated printing apparatus, for use as marker sleeves and/or bands forsecuring together in assembly groups of two or more such articles. Astill further aim of the invention is to provide an apparatus forseparating successive sleeve blanks from a continuous form assembly ofsleeve blanks and simultaneously forming each separated blank into atubular sleeve surrounding an associated portion of an individualarticle to be marked for identification or for banding together inassembly a group of two or more such articles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention a continuous form assembly ofsleeve blanks comprises a longitudinally elongated flexible web ofultrasonically weldable material having a longitudinal series of pairsof transversely spaced apart and generally longitudinally extendingslits therethrough, each pair of slits partially defining an associatedsleeve blank. Marginal feeding means on the flexible web cooperate withthe feeding mechanism on an associated conventional printing apparatusand/or a sleeve forming apparatus embodying the invention to advance theweb through the apparatus. Further, and in accordance with theinvention, the sleeve forming apparatus separates each successive sleeveblank from the continuous form assembly and simultaneously joinsopposite end portions of the sleeve blank together in assembly to form atubular sleeve surrounding an associated portion of an individualarticle to be marked for identification or a group of articles to bebanded together in assembly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an apparatus embodying the presentinvention shown with portions of the cover broken away.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 shown withportions of the cover broken away.

FIG. 3 is a somewhat enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along theline 3--3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a portion of acontinuous form assembly of sleeve blanks embodying the invention andfor use with the apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5--5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a somewhat enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a typicalidentification marker sleeve shown attached to an insulated electricalconductor.

FIG. 7 is a somewhat enlarged fragmentary perspective view showing atypical group of electrical conductors secured in assembly by a bandformed by the apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a somewhat enlarged side elevational view of the sealing andsevering jaw.

FIG. 9 is a front elevational view of the sealing and severing jaw shownin FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 10--10 ofFIG. 8.

FIG. 11 is a bottom plan view of the sealing and severing jaw shown inFIG. 8.

FIG. 12 is a somewhat enlarged schematic view illustrating the manner inwhich an electrical connector is fed into the apparatus for banding.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS AND METHODS

In the drawings and in the description which follows, the presentinvention is illustrated and described with reference to a band orsleeve forming apparatus indicated generally by the reference numeral 10and shown in FIGS. 1-3. The illustrated apparatus 10 is particularlyadapted to intermittently advance a continuous form assembly of band orsleeve blanks, designated generally by the reference numeral 12 in FIGS.4 and 5, and form each successive blank which comprises the assemblyinto an annular band or tubular sleeve surrounding an associated portionof an article to be identified or group of articles to be assembled. Theapparatus simultaneously separates each successive band or sleeve blankfrom the continuous form assembly 12 as a band or sleeve is formed fromthe blank.

The sleeve forming apparatus of the present invention may be employed toapply annular bands or tubular sleeves to a wide variety of articles.However, the illustrated band forming machine 10 is particularly adaptedfor use in the manufacture of an electrical wiring harnesses or thelike. Such a harness (not shown) may comprise a multiplicity ofindividual axially elongated generally cylindrical insulated electricalconductors to be tagged or banded for identification and/or assembledinto groups, each group including two or more individual electricalconductors. A typical preprinted identification marker sleeve formed bythe apparatus of the present invention is shown in FIG. 6 attached to anindividual insulated electrical conductor C, the sleeve being indicatedby the letter S. In FIG. 7 there is shown a part of a wiring harnesswhich includes a group of insulated electrical conductors C, C securedin assembled relation to each other by a band B formed by the apparatus10.

In order to facilitate a clear understanding of the band or sleeveforming apparatus 10, hereinafter described, and the manner in which itoperates, the continuous form band or sleeve blank assembly 12 used withthe apparatus will first be considered in some detail. Referring nowparticularly to FIGS. 4 and 5, the illustrated continuous form assembly12 essentially comprises an elongated single ply web of ultrasonicallyweldable material, which may be heat shrinkable, and which has parallellongitudinally extending side edges 14, 14. A longitudinally spacedseries of pairs of opposing, transversely spaced apart andlongitudinally extending parallel slits 16, 16 through the web define aconcatenated longitudinally series of band or sleeve blanks 18, 18 alongthe entire length of the web, each pair of slits 16, 16 partiallydefining an individual band or sleeve blank 18. The slits 16, 16 whichcomprise each pair are substantially parallel to each other and ofsubstantially equal length. Each slit 16 is parallel to and is spacedinwardly from an associated web side edge 14. The slits 16, 16 cooperatewith the web side edges 14, 14 to generally define marginal feed strips20, 20 which extend along opposite side portions of the entire web. Alongitudinally extending series of uniformly spaced apart pin feedapertures 22, 22 are formed in each of the marginal feed strips 20, 20,the feed apertures in one marginal feed strip 20 being in transversealignment with those in the feed strip at the opposite side of the web.The feed apertures 22, 22 are adapted to cooperate with a pin feed ortractor drive mechanism which comprises a part of the sleeve formingapparatus 10, hereinafter further described. The longitudinal spacingbetween the feed apertures 22, 22 is standardized, one half inch spacingbeing presently preferred to conform to the spacing between the drivepins of a pin feed mechanism on an associated printing apparatus, suchas a dot matrix printer (not shown), for a purpose which will behereinafter evident. The sleeve blank assembly 12 further includes alongitudinally spaced apart series of lines of weakening 24, 24 whichextend transversely across the web at uniform intervals along the web.Each line of weakening 24 is positioned on the web midway between theend portions of one pair of slits 16, 16 and the next successive pair ofslits in the series. In accordance with a presently preferredconstruction the blanks 18, 18 which comprise the assembly 12 aredivided into a longitudinal series of groups, each group comprisingthree consecutive blanks 18, 18 and being separated from the next threeconsecutive blanks in the series by an associated line of weakening 24,substantially as shown in FIG. 4.

When the sleeve blanks 18, 18 are to be used as identification markersfor individual conductors or assembly bands for securing together andidentifying groups of two or more conductors, for example, thecontinuous form assembly 12 is preferably feed through an automatedprinting apparatus, such as a dot matrix printer, to imprint conductoridentification marks on each successive blank 18. The blanks 18, 18which comprise the continuous form assembly 12 shown in FIG. 4 havealphanumeric code identification information imprinted thereon asindicated at 26, 26. Registration and confirmation marks indicated at28, 28 are also imprinted at predetermined locations along the web whichcomprises the continuous form assembly 12, preferably in the spacesbetween successive blanks 18, 18, as shown in FIG. 4. Each registrationand confirmation mark 28 is identical to an associated conductoridentification mark 26 but is spaced longitudinally along the web apredetermined distance from the associated conductor identification mark26, as will be hereinafter further discussed.

A band or sleeve forming apparatus embodying the present invention andutilizing the continuous form assembly 12 in practicing the inventionmay take various forms. However, the illustrated band or sleeve formingmachine 10 is particularly adapted to perform a bench assembly operationand has a frame assembly indicated generally at 30 which includes a basemember 32 and an upright support member or mounting plate 34 supportedby the base member 32. A banding or sleeve forming station indicatedgenerally at 36, is partially defined by a horizontally disposed guideslot 38 formed in the mounting plate 34 and opening outwardly throughthe forward end of the mounting plate as best shown in FIG. 1. The guideslot 38 defines an article receiving path and terminates at its innerend at an upwardly open notch 39 which defines a sleeve receivingposition. A plurality of axially horizontally and vertically spacedapart generally cylindrical guide rollers 40, 40 supported in cantileverposition on the mounting plate 34 for rotation above and below the guideslot 38 project horizontally from the right hand side of the mountingplate, as it appears viewed from the front and looking toward the rearin FIG. 3.

A pair of vertically opposing sealing and severing jaws indicatedgenerally at 42 and which include a substantially stationary lower jaw44 and a moveable upper jaw 46 are supported on the right side of themounting plate 34 generally laterally adjacent the guide slot 38 andimmediately rearward of the guide rollers 40, 40 and cooperate to definethe forward or outer end of the band or sleeve forming station 36. Thelower jaw 44 comprises the horn of an ultrasonic welder designatedgenerally by the numeral 48 and secured to the mounting plate 34 belowan associated portion of the guide slot 38 as best shown in FIG. 12. Thelower jaw or horn 44 has a substantially planar generally horizontallydisposed and upwardly facing horn surface 50. An elongated lever arm 52pivotally supported at its rear end on the mounting plate 34 carries theupper jaw 46 and supports it for arcuate pivotal movement generallytoward and away from the lower jaw 44 between closed and open positions.The upper jaw, normally biased toward its open position, pivots to itsclosed position in response to operation of an air motor or pneumaticcylinder 54 secured in fixed position relative to the mounting plate 34and having a moveable part operably connected to the lever arm 52,substantially as shown in FIG. 1.

Considering now the jaw assembly 42 in further detail, and referringparticularly to FIGS. 8-10, the upper jaw 46 includes a sealing member56 and a severing member 58, preferably maintained in generallyhorizontally spaced apart relation to each other by a separator orspacer 60. The sealing member 56 has a plurality of laterally spacedapart and downwardly projecting generally rectangular teeth 62, 62. Theteeth define a laterally spaced apart series of substantially planardownwardly facing sealing surfaces 64, 64 which lie within a commonplane for cooperating with the lower jaw or horn surface 50 when theupper and lower jaws 46 and 44 are in closed position. The severingmember 58 is positioned forward of the sealing member 56 and has agenerally rectilinear horizontally disposed and laterally extendinglower edge 66 which also cooperates with the horn surface 50 when thejaws are in closed position as will hereinafter be further discussed.The rectilinear edge 66 has a lateral dimension substantially equal tothe lateral width of a blank 18, shown in FIG. 4, is relatively blunt ordull, and preferably disposed a slight distance below the tooth surfaces64, 64, as indicated at 67 in FIG. 8, to lead the tooth surfaces whenthe jaws are moved to closed position, a lead dimension 67 which isabout equal to the thickness of the web being presently preferred.

An adjustable arresting mechanism, best shown in FIGS. 3 and indicatedgenerally by the numeral 70, is mounted at the right hand side of thesupport plate 34 rearward of the jaw assembly 42 and near the rear endof the guide slot 38. The arresting mechanism 70 essentially comprisesan adjustable abutment member 72 which has a forwardly facing abutmentsurface 74 which is generally laterally aligned with the notch 39. Theabutment member 72 is supported for forward and rearward adjustablemovement generally toward and away from the lower jaw 44 and includes arearwardly extending cam follower 76 biased in a rearward direction by afollower spring 78 as shown in FIG. 3. The arresting mechanism 70further includes a camming member 80 supported for lateral movementgenerally toward and away from the mounting plate 34. The camming member80 has a cam surface 82 disposed in camming engagement with the camfollower 76. An adjusting screw 84 threadably engaged with the cammingmember 80 extends through the support plate 34 and is threadably engagedwith a moveable caliper jaw 86 supported for lateral movement relativeto a fixed caliper jaw 88 mounted in fixed position relative to themounting plate 34. The position of the abutment surface 74 relative tothe jaw assembly 42 is adjusted by rotating an adjustment knob 89mounted on an end of the adjusting screw 84. Rotation of the adjustmentknob 89 in one or the opposite direction opens or closes the caliperjaws and simultaneously synchronously adjusts the position of theabutment surface 74 relative to the lower jaw assembly 44 in response tochanges in the setting of the caliper jaws, as will be hereinafter morefully discussed in connection with the operation of the apparatus 10.

Various arrangements may be provided for feeding successive sleeveblanks 18, 18 which comprise the continuous form assembly 12 to themachine 10.

However, in accordance with the presently preferred machine constructionthe web material which comprises the continuous form assembly 12 ispayed off a supply roll 90 mounted on an arbor 92 which is supported onand projects axially outwardly from the mounting plate 34 at a locationabove the guide slot 38. An adjustable drag clutch 94 releasably securedto the outer or free end of the arbor 92 retains the supply roll 90 onthe arbor and cooperates with a hub which supports the supply roll 90 tocontrol pay-off of the web material from the supply roll. A plurality ofaxially horizontally disposed web support rollers 96, 96 are mounted incantilever position on the support plate 34 in circumaxial relation tothe supply roll 90, substantially as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and supportand track the web material from the supply roll to the machine workstation.

A tractor feed mechanism, indicated generally at 98 (FIG. 1) is providedfor advancing the web which forms the continuous form assembly 12through the machine 10. The tractor feed mechanism 98 preferablycomprises a drive belt 100 mounted at the right hand side of the supportmember 34 below the guide slot 38 and forward of the guide rollers 40,40, substantially as shown in FIG. 1. The illustrated belt 100 comprisesa flexible timing belt mounted on associated sprockets and includes twolaterally spaced apart rows of drive pins for engaging the feedapertures 22, 22 in an associated continuous form sleeve blank assembly12 in a manner well known in the art. One of the sprockets whichsupports the drive belt 100 comprises a drive sprocket fixed to a driveshaft 102 which extends through the support plate 34. The drive sprocketis drivingly connected to an electrical stepping motor 104 shown in FIG.2 and mounted on the left hand side of the mounting plate 34. Anadjusting knob 106 mounted on the free end of the drive shaft 102facilitates manual adjustment of the drive belt 100, for a purpose whichwill be hereinafter further evident.

The machine 10 also includes a housing or removable cover indicated at108. A substantial portion of the cover 108 is shown broken away in thedrawings to reveal the structure of the apparatus contained therewithin.However, it should be noted that a registration and conformation markerviewing window 110 is provided in the upper portion of the cover 108 fora purpose which will be hereinafter further explained. A scrap dischargeslot 112 is also formed in the front wall of the cover at a locationbelow the tractor feed mechanism 98.

In accordance with the presently preferred construction, the machine 10is operated by an electropneumatic control system which includes anelectropneumatic control valve 114 for supplying air under pressure froman air supply source (not shown) to the pneumatic cylinder 54, a footoperated control switch 116 for operating the control valve 114 toinitiate the machine operating cycle, and a plurality of timing devices(not shown) for controlling the machine operating cycle during which asingle identification sleeve or assembly band is normally formed andattached to a single electrical conductor (FIG. 6) or group ofconductors (FIG. 7). The control system may also include a manuallyoperated override control switch 118 shown somewhat schematically inFIG. 2 for bypassing the foot operated control switch 116 during machinesetup operations to supply power directly to the stepping motor 104 tocontinuously operate the tractor feed mechanism 98.

When the machine 10 is used to apply identification sleeves to articles,as, for example, individual cylindrical insulated electrical conductorsC, C such as shown in FIG. 6, to be used in the fabrication of a wiringharness, appropriate identification code information is preprinted onthe continuous form blank assembly 12 at locations 26, 26 and 28, 28along the sleeve blank assembly, as shown in FIG. 4, by advancing theassembly 12 through a programmable printer, as hereinbefore discussed.The preprinted continuous form sleeve blank assembly received from theprinting apparatus is then wound to form a supply roll 90 having theprinted material on its outer or exposed surface.

After the preprinted supply roll 90 has been mounted in the arbor 92 andsecured thereon by the drag clutch 94 the drag clutch is adjusted toapply a light force to resist the pay-off of web material pulled fromthe supply roll 90 by the tractor feed mechanism 98. The leading endportion of the web which preferably comprises an unprinted leader strip,is threaded over the various support rollers 96, 96, between the guiderollers 40, 40, into engagement with the tractor feed mechanism 98, andoutwardly through the scrap discharge slot 112 in the front wall of themachine housing or cover 108.

When the continuous form blank assembly 12 has been threaded through themachine 10 the machine is operated to bring the registration andconformation mark 28 which corresponds to the first conductoridentification mark 26 into registration with the viewing window 110thereby enabling the machine operator to confirm that the correct blank18 is in proper position to be applied to the first electrical conductorC to be identified. The distance between each conductor identificationmark 26 and the corresponding registration and confirmation mark 28 issubstantially equal to the distance from the viewing window 110 to theabutment surface 74 measured longitudinally along the web threadedthrough the machine 10. Since the foot operated control switch 116normally employed to operate the machine produces a single machineoperating cycle each time the switch is operated, thereby intermittentlymoving or indexing the continuous form assembly 12, the override controlswitch 118 is preferably employed to continuously advance the assembly12 during setup. If necessary, the manually adjustable adjusting knob106 may be used to make a fine adjustment to bring the firstregistration and confirmation mark 28 into registration with the viewingwindow 110.

Preparatory to operating the apparatus 10 to form a first preprintedblank 18 into an identification marker sleeve S on a first cylindricalelectrical conductor C in a series, as shown in FIG. 6, the caliper jaws86 and 88 are adjusted to measure the diameter of the conductor C whichautomatically properly positions the adjustable abutment surface 74relative to the notch 39 at the inner or rear end of the guide slot 38.

The machine operator grasps the first conductor C at a position spacedfrom its free end portion to which the identification marker sleeve isto be attached. The free end portion of the conductor is then insertedinto the guide slot 38 and moved rearwardly against the portion of theweb exposed between the guide rollers 40, 40 and to the rear or innerend of the guide slot and into the notch 39 drawing with it a portion ofthe web pulled from the supply roll 90 and causing the web whichincludes a sleeve blank 18 to form a loop about the conductor C, asillustrated in FIG. 12. While the tractor mechanism 98 holds the leadingportion of the web in stationary position the drag clutch 94, which hasbeen set to apply light tensioning force to the web, allows the supplyroll to pay-off a sufficient amount of the web material to form the loopabout the conductor as the machine operator moves the conductor free endportion against the web and toward the rear or inner end of the guideslot 38.

After the loop has been formed and the conductor C has been positionedin the notch 39 the operator depresses the foot operated control switch1 16 to initiate the machine operating cycle which closes the jaws 42 onthe loop. A first timing device (not shown) associated with theultrasonic welder 48 causes the jaws to dwell in closed positionapplying a predetermined force to the end portions of the loop definedby the blank 18. While the jaws remain in closed position the ultrasonicwelder 48 operates for a predetermined period of time to enable theteeth 62, 62 on the sealing member 56 to cooperate with the horn surface50 to seal the coengaging end portions of the loop to form a sleeveabout the conductor C while the severing member 58 simultaneouslycooperates with the ultrasonically vibrating horn surface 50 to severthe formed loop from the web, which comprises the continuous form blankassembly 12. Upon completion of the ultrasonic welding and severingoperation another timing device (not shown) causes the jaws 42 to openand dwell in open position for a sufficient time to allow the operatorto remove the conductor C with the formed sleeve S thereon from themachine.

It should be noted that the marginal feed strips 20, 20 are not severedby the sleeve forming and severing operation. After the operator has hadan opportunity to remove the sleeved conductor from the machine thetiming mechanism operates supplying power to the stepping motor 104which activates the track feed mechanism 98 to advance the web andposition the next preprinted blank between the guide rolls 40, 40, asshown in FIG. 1 in preparation for the next machine operating cycle. Theweb scrap produced by the operating cycle leaves the machine through thescrap discharge slot 112. The lines of weakening 24, 24 enable a leadingportion of the web scrap to be torn off from time-to-time to facilitatemore convenient scrap disposal.

If the ultrasonically weldable material used to form the continuous formassembly 12 is head shrinkable heat may be applied to the sleeve S whichhas been formed on the conductor C by the machine 10 to shrink thesleeve into tightly gripping engagement with the conductor C.

The invention has been illustrated and described with reference to amachine particularly adapted for bench operation. However, it isanticipated that situations will be encountered where a portable or handheld apparatus for applying bands or sleeves may be required, as, forexample, where identification sleeves are to be applied to theconductors of a wiring harness in place on a panel board or the like. Itshould now be apparent that the apparatus 10 hereinbefore described isreadily adaptable for use as a portable tool in substantially anyposition of orientation and such modified forms of the apparatus arecontemplated within the scope of the invention.

I claim:
 1. A method for making a continuous form assembly of sleeveblanks comprising the steps of providing a longitudinally extending webof ultrasonically weldable material, forming a series of longitudinallyspaced apart pairs of transversely spaced apart slits through the webspaced inwardly from the longitudinally extending edges of the web, andforming feeding means in the longitudinally extending marginal portionsof the web between the longitudinally extending edges and the slits forcooperating with a feeding mechanism on an associated apparatus wherebyto advance the web through the apparatus.
 2. A method for making acontinuous form assembly of sleeve blanks as set forth in claim 1wherein the step of forming feeding means is further characterized asforming feed apertures.
 3. A method for making a continuous formassembly of sleeve blanks as set forth in claim 1 including theadditional step of forming a longitudinal series of longitudinallyspaced apart lines of weakening on the web extending transversely acrossthe web in spaces between adjacent pairs of slits through the web.
 4. Amethod for making a continuous form assembly of sleeve blanks comprisingthe steps of providing a longitudinally extending web of ultrasonicallyweldable material having parallel longitudinally extending side edges,forming a longitudinally series of pairs of parallel slits of equallength through the web in inwardly spaced parallel relation to the sideedges of the web, and forming feeding means in longitudinally extendingmarginal edge portions of the web for cooperating with a feedingmechanism on an associated apparatus to advance the web through theapparatus.
 5. A method for making a continuous form assembly of sleeveblanks as set forth in claim 4 including the additional step of forminga series of longitudinally spaced apart lines of weakening on the weband extending transversely across the web between adjacent pairs ofslits through the web.
 6. A continuous form assembly of sleeve blankscomprising a longitudinally elongated flexible web of ultrasonicallyweldable material having a longitudinal series of pairs of transverselyspaced apart and generally longitudinally extending slits therethrough,each pair of slits partially defining an associated sleeve blank.
 7. Acontinuous form assembly of sleeve blanks as set forth in claim 6wherein said slits in each of said pairs are substantially equal inlength.
 8. A continuous form assembly of sleeve blanks as set forth inclaim 7 wherein the slits in each pair are substantially parallel toeach other.
 9. A continuous form assembly of sleeve blanks comprising anelongate flexible web of ultrasonically weldable material havingparallel longitudinally extending side edges, a longitudinally spacedseries of pairs of transversely spaced apart and longitudinallyextending slits through said web, said slits in each of said pairs beingsubstantially parallel to each other and of substantially equal length,each of said slits in each of said pairs being spaced inwardly from anassociated one of said side edges and cooperating with said one of saidside edges to define a marginal portion of said web, and a longitudinalseries of pin feed apertures through each said marginal portion.
 10. Acontinuous form assembly of sleeve blanks as set forth in claim 9including a longitudinally spaced series of lines of weakening extendingtransversely across said web, each of said lines of weakening beinglocated between one of said pairs and a next successive pair in saidseries of pairs.
 11. The combination comprising a continuous formassembly of ultrasonically weldable sleeve blanks and apparatus forsequentially attaching each one of said sleeve blanks to an associatedaxially extending portion of a group of articles, each group includingat least one article, said continuous form assembly of ultrasonicallyweldable sleeve blanks including an elongate flexible web ofultrasonically weldable material having parallel longitudinallyextending side edges, a longitudinally spaced series of pairs oftransversely spaced apart and longitudinally extending slits throughsaid web, said slits in each of said pairs being substantially parallelto each other and of substantially equal length and partially definingan associated one of said sleeve blanks, each of said slits in each ofsaid pairs being spaced inwardly from an associated one of said sideedges and cooperating with said one of said side edges to define amarginal portion of said web, and a longitudinal series of feedapertures through each said marginal portion, said apparatus including aframe and having a work station, article guiding means defining anarticle receiving path communication with said work station fordirecting a group of articles such as aforesaid into a sleeve receivingposition at said work station, a pair of opposing jaws supported on saidframe and disposed at the forward end of said work station, anultrasonic welder having a horn defining one of said jaws, the other ofsaid jaws comprising a sealing member and a severing member, jawoperating means for moving said jaws relative to each other between openand closed positions, said jaws in said open position being disposed atopposite sides of said article receiving path, an arresting member atthe rear of said work station defining a forwardly facing arrestingsurface, indexing means for engaging said apertures and advancing saidelongated continuous form assembly of ultrasonically weldable sleeveblanks to locate one of said sleeve blanks in a predetermined positionin front of said work station and extending across said articlereceiving path, and manually operable controlling means for initiating acycle of said apparatus to move said jaws to said closed position.
 12. Acontinuous form assembly of sleeve blanks comprising an elongated singleply web of ultrasonically weldable material having parallellongitudinally extending side edges, a longitudinal series oflongitudinally spaced apart pairs of opposing transversely spaced apartand longitudinally extending parallel slits through the web, the slitsdefining a concatenated longitudinal series of sleeve blanks, each pairof slits partially defining an individual sleeve blank, the slits ofeach pair being of substantially equal length, the slits being spacedtransversely inward from the side edges of the web and cooperating withthe side edges of the web to define marginal feed strips extending alongthe length of the web, and a longitudinally spaced series of uniformlyspaced pin feed apertures formed in each of the marginal feed strips,the feed apertures in one of the marginal feed strips being intransverse alignment with those in the other of the marginal feedstrips.
 13. A continuous form assembly of sleeve blanks as set forth inclaim 12 including a plurality of lines of weakening extendingtransversely across the web at uniform intervals along the web, each ofthe lines of weakening being positioned on the web midway between onepair of slits and the next successive pair of slits in the series ofslits.
 14. A continuous form assembly of sleeve blanks as set forth inclaim 13 wherein the sleeve blanks comprise a series of groups of sleeveblanks, each group of sleeve blanks in the series including a pluralityof consecutive sleeve blanks, each group being separated from a nextsuccessive group in the series by an associated one of the lines ofweakening.
 15. A continuous form assembly of sleeve blanks as set forthin claim 13 wherein each group is formed by three consecutive sleeveblanks.
 16. A continuous form assembly of sleeve blanks as set forth inclaim 12 wherein said ultrasonically weldable material is furthercharacterized as heat shrinkable material.
 17. The combinationcomprising a continuous form assembly of ultrasonically weldable sleeveblanks and apparatus for sequentially attaching each one of said sleeveblanks to an associated axially extending portion of a group ofarticles, each group including at least one article, said continuousform assembly of ultrasonically weldable sleeve blanks including anelongate flexible web of ultrasonically weldable material havingparallel longitudinally extending side edges, a longitudinally spacedseries of pairs of transversely spaced apart and longitudinallyextending slits through said web, said slits in each of said pairs beingsubstantially parallel to each other and of substantially equal lengthand partially defining an associated one of said sleeve blanks, each ofsaid slits in each of said pairs being spaced inwardly from anassociated one of said side edges and cooperating with said one of saidside edges to define a marginal portion of said web, and a longitudinalseries of feed apertures through each said marginal portion, saidapparatus including a work station, article guiding means defining anarticle receiving path communication with said work station fordirecting a group of articles such as aforesaid into a sleeve receivingposition at said work station, a pair of opposing jaws disposed at theforward end of said work station, an ultrasonic welder having a horndefining one of said jaws, the other of said jaws comprising a sealingmember and a severing member, jaw operating means for moving said jawsrelative to each other between open and closed positions, said jaws insaid open position being disposed at opposite sides of said articlereceiving path, means for engaging said feed apertures and advancingsaid elongated continuous form assembly of ultrasonically weldablesleeve blanks to locate one of said sleeve blanks in a predeterminedposition in front of said work station and extending across said articlereceiving path, and controlling means for initiating a cycle of saidapparatus to move said jaws to said closed position.